Wireless communication devices, such as cellular telephones, communicate with other devices and systems over wireless communication networks. A wireless network may provide a wireless device with voice and data communication services. In particular, data communications between a wireless network and a wireless device may be limited by an amount of bandwidth available to multiple devices connected to the wireless network. Consequently, the data usage by one wireless device impacts the amount of data bandwidth available to other devices also connected to the wireless network.
A wireless device may be capable of executing various applications on the wireless device. Specifically, applications such as social networking applications, sports score applications, stock market applications, calendar applications, and gaming applications may retrieve application update data from a device or system over a wireless network. For example, the sports score app may periodically retrieve score updates for in progress sporting events. As these applications retrieve updates over the wireless network, the applications use both wireless network data resources and resources on the wireless device.
Overview
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for adjusting the rate at which an application retrieves data updates based upon application usage. In a particular embodiment, a method provides exchanging communications with a wireless communication network. The method further provides executing an application that exchanges application data in the wireless communication device with the wireless communication network. The method further provides determining an application usage rate for the application and adjusting an application update rate for the application based on the application usage rate. Additionally, the method provides updating the application data over the wireless communication network based on the application update rate.